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krikorean

@krikorean_

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⭐️ To love storytelling through the medium of movies 🎥
⭐️ Using my love of film to champion the cinema experience! 🎞️
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🟠🟢🔵 Letterboxd Reviews ⬇️ 🍿

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100

21

4 years ago

Those that know me, know I love movies. For those that REALLY know me, know I go to AMC Theaters for one reason and one reason only. Please enjoy this newly released advertisement coming soon to a theater near you.

Title: “Nicole KIMman”
Starring: Yours Truly
Director: @mattdawg65
DP/Editor: @sethdfilms

Cheers to a new year of movies.

#nicolekidman #amc #amctheaters #cinema #absolutecinema #movies #movie #moviegoers taken in AMC Theatres Classic La Mirada 7 by @krikorean_

193

52

2 years ago

While I may be constantly posting movie reviews left and right as well as additional film content, it is very rare to get an inside look into who is behind the page. Swipe to get to know a little about me through my own taste in movies!

What are some of your favorite movies that fall under these categories?

#filmcritic #movie #movies #cinema #amc #amctheaters #regal #krikorian #absolutecinema #ilovemovies #ilovemovies📽 by @krikorean_

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12

2 years ago

Less is more. More is less. The more you see, the less you know.

Gorgeously cinematic that leaves you more terrified than impressed, You Can See Everything flips the documentary genre in and over its head, evoking out of pocket shock factors that pay dividends in its lengthy runtime. Detailing the month before Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes’ prison sentence for a headlining scientific scandal, Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim make sense of the absurd truth as satire, which tragically morphs into a question of who - who is the victim? Who is the oppressor? And why - why is this documentary being made in the first place?

Every seemingly unadulterated and unfiltered moment brings an abundance of hilarity, speechlessness, and a head scratching odyssey of what unfolds before our eyes into a series of questions - Is truly everything we see, genuine? Are the seemingly truths that documentaries promise to reveal in its conclusion truly a quest for knowledge, or a curated, calculated attempt to make bias seem unbiased? As Fielder and Oppenheim masterfully edit a parallel storyline of linear experiences with Elizabeth Holmes’ emotion and experience with the nonlinear piecing of the puzzle of what really went down, You Can See Everything challenges both the film and audiences’ biases. What we take in, both on the silver screen and in the bombarded media, inadvertently shapes our perceptions and opinions on a given subject. The film takes what we know about Holmes and switches it into a subversive style of documentaries - challenging the motives and the reason for the documentary itself. The mind blowing meta narrative unfolds organically through emotional, tense conversations that feel like a pressure cooker ready to explode a seemingly ugly truth.

You Can See Everything revolutionizes the documentary format beyond giving audiences a silver spoon in their mouth - Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder show you the food, but only to window shop it in various angles, teasing you just enough but never completely to taste the entire scoop. You can see everything... and know absolutely nothing at all.

#moviereview #documentary #movies #a24 #cinema taken in AMC Fullerton 20 with Dine-in Theatres by @krikorean_

17

0

an hour ago

Gorgeous in its cinematic landscape and characterization, Jane Austen’s latest adaptation of Pride & Prejudice’s little sister receives a worthy revival of energetic, slow-burning love mixed with the intensity of its surroundings. Sense and Sensibility proves a harrowing yet painstakingly real experience of the ways we desire TO love and TO BE loved, expressed in both tense body language, word of mouth, and the almost daunting step to make the first step to risky territory.

As with any adaptation and reinterpretation of a significant source material, both the ultimate burden and glory shine through its casting. Daisy Edgar-Jones beautifully portrays the yearning and complex turmoil of Elinor Dashwood, a fierce yet graceful woman balancing the cultural norms of femininity and genuine, raw expression of love in a world where women must do the waiting. Esmé Creed-Miles is magnetic in her delivery, carrying the effervescent and illustrious energy of a woman living by a double-edged sword, both liberated and enslaved by her passionate emotions. Director Georgia Oakley remains faithful to Austen’s grounded narrative on the pages, highlighting the dynamic relationship between the two Dashwood sisters, processing their grief while redeeming their plight with the everlasting joy of establishing love.

At its core, Jane Austen’s screen adaptations still remain true to her vision and message, creating a meta narrative in the 21st century that speaks universally into the time of Austen’s publication. Austen’s novel adaptations aptly speak into the ways feminism is to be approached, not filled with utter hatred and contempt at a patriarchal system, but with a unique grace into a woman pursuing a love that she had always waited for. While Pride & Prejudice tackled the ways we misunderstand and perceive books by its covers, Sense and Sensibility navigates what love means, says, does, and demonstrates.

Sense and Sensibility thrives off of its moments of Austen’s signature situational comedic awkwardness and quippy punchlines that brings a vintage humorous angle to the period piece.

#moviereview #janeausten #romance #cinema #movies taken in AMC Theatres Classic La Mirada 7 by @krikorean_

27

2

3 days ago

Told with idealistic morale but quite literally telling the audience a message of integrity with its verbose dialogue piece, The Social Reckoning continues the tumultuous origins of Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook, now coming to terms with its long term effects well after its petty financial drama.

Aaron Sorkin’s direction shines only because of the acute, meticulous execution of his casting. Sorkin’s prose and heavy jargon that typically leans on fast paced execution and heavy exposition is held at pace with the chemistry of his ensemble. Mikey Madison handles Frances Haugen in a clever juggling act of internal turmoil with external ferocity, wrestling between her righteous vision and integrity. Jeremy Allen White neutralizes the chaos as the investigator, becoming the bridge and the voice of reason in a conflicting boxing match of evidence-based truth. As the star of the show, it is in Jeremy Strong’s uncanny resemblance to a jaded and stoic rendition of Mark Zuckerberg that stuns audiences, portraying the almost heartless attitude towards the people he promises community for clicks, views, and profit.

While the cast’s reenactment of the drama brings initial interest, the investment ends in Sorkin’s consistently glaring flaw - the need to over explain, overstuff, and create a juggling act of scattered timelines. Though the film’s commentary on the extent and the measure of the First Amendment’s freedom of speech is a crucial argument at the center of the film, the juggle of journalism ethics, Facebook intel, sociopolitical issues, mental health, and a biopic makes the runtime unsure where it wants to focus. Its caricatured portrayal of Zuckerberg provides a temporary emotional shock of hilarity and terror at his motivations, but does not leave audiences to ponder where the future of Meta is headed.

At its core, the film challenges the moral woes and questions the outward, self-righteous vision of Facebook’s utility to society - is it genuinely for human connection, or another social vice that opens Pandora’s box of hatred and harm?

#moviereview #facebook #meta #cinema #movies taken in AMC Fullerton 20 with Dine-in Theatres by @krikorean_

43

4

10 days ago

Blatantly sensationalist and wholeheartedly laughable in development, Verity presents a consistent slop house collection of Hoover’s novel adaptations, desperately inking cash from godforsaken BookTok cult followings and the targeted erotic thriller fans. The unfortunate duality is, quite sadly, is its double-edged marketing. The attraction to bringing erotic thrillers in its trailers brings forth an empty treasure chest of unfulfilled promises and vain payoffs that leave audiences frustrated and hungrier than they first started off with.

While still building an impressive cast ensemble that euthanizes the agonizing character development, Verity in no way satisfies any of its target audience’s desires for a thrilling story. The subject matter becomes a self-glorified, egoistic story that seems to accentuate the role of authors and writing as this grandeur, pretentious art form that takes itself way too seriously. The seeming conversations of “method acting” by getting into the character by a writer and the author’s struggle when blurring fiction and reality presents an interesting discourse, but is all thrown away for the sake of cheap erotica and unearned creative decisions.

Unsurprisingly, Colleen Hoover’s silver screen premieres initially presents captivating material that can lead to a potential thriller or dramatic character development. Yet, in typical wasted potential fashion, Hoover’s source material fumbles the bag, throwing out entertaining narrative development for the next shock factor. The film mistakes gratuitous sex as erotica, the absurd plot twists as shocking, and the ending as a cheap cop-out to spoon feed the audience the message as if they are excruciatingly dumb. It is hilariously ironic to see a film so stupid condescend upon its audience, like the blind leading the blind.

The combination of cringeworthy, self-serious tone that ends with the worst payoffs coupled with an incongruent slew of needle drops that has Spotify in tears, Verity has lived up to its name in one painstakingly tragic way - Colleen Hoover has disgraced both the page and the screen.

#moviereview #colleenhoover #annehathaway #dakotajohnson #movies taken in AMC Theatres Classic La Mirada 7 by @krikorean_

40

6

13 days ago

Creating a bizarre acid trip of a satire within a satire, Digger goes full throttle on the metanarrative of social commentary, with director Alejandro Iñárritu flexing his signature style of twists and caricature to deliver a painfully relatable political climate. Led by the magnetic Tom Cruise who naturally oozes passion in his comeback to comedic acting, his performance grounds the satire amidst its chaotic, ambitious proportions.

From the maximalist, regal acting of the talented cast ensemble, from the ego baron persona of Tom Cruise, the crystal clear spoof on Donald Trump from John Goodman, the exhaustingly frustrated scientist in Riz Ahmed, and a thought provoking twist from Jesse Plemons, the cast contributes to Iñárritu’s style of chaotic poetry that speaks life into key themes. Integrating the typical satire of bureaucratic circus acts, corporate greed, political impotence, and utilitarianism take the forefront, teasing audiences that even satire is not without its critiques.

While its comedy delivers in its volumetric noise of clashing banter and witty production pieces, it is truly in its meta narrative that even satire has strings attached invokes a challenge to the audience’s media literacy - how can something that critiques the hypocrisy of a system or institution also be hypocritical behind closed doors? Digger shockingly uses an initially head scratching plot twist that pays off in its runtime, but leaves audiences sifting through the confusion in its slow burn development. At its root, we are faced with the uncomfortable fact that even satire, which can entertain, can fall way too close to reality.

Bold in its creative decisions and unashamedly weird, Digger is sure to spark interesting discourse and debrief as the credits roll. Come for Tom Cruise, stay for Tom Cruise.

#moviereview #tomcruise #movies #cinema #warnerbros taken in Amc Orange 30 by @krikorean_

36

5

17 days ago

Unashamedly original in its quirky characterization integrated with its under appreciated folklore, Forgotten Island boasts Filipino heritage pride while showcasing kinetic, original animation from Dreamworks. The film continues to serve the almost unanimous idea that audiences crave original stories with an earned, heartfelt message, and it delivers in those aspects, with both convoluted yet charming development.

Forgotten Island provides a beautiful example of understanding the target audience while challenging the viewers to see beyond their prior knowledge. Like much of animation directed towards children and families, the film is boldly unafraid to embrace its outlandish, caricatured concepts, landing humor both cringe and tasteful for comedic relief. Utilizing the imaginative worldbuilding of the environment itself, Dreamworks capitalizes on their typical “mysterious adventure” storylines, letting the animators loose on vibrant color palettes mixed with mythical creatures. The island of both wonder and danger, of fulfilled desire and imminent danger, of past trauma and future potential, lay before the characters to navigate their friendship with curiosity and heart.

Forgotten Island may be gorgeous in its visuals, but its specialty lies in portraying a unique message that integrates Filipino folklore with the universal themes of friendship and memory. While on the nose in its third act to explicitly tell the message, the creative horror of adding a Filipino mythical creature with the Manang with the reality of forgetting precious memories brings another important message to children. While things can come and go, to lose precious memories that act as a sanctuary for the love we share with others be stripped away is a terrifying reality. Forgotten Island is a convoluted and chaotic coming of age story but in the most heartwarming way, showing the bonds we share with others can be everlasting.

Authentic, heartwarming, and a fun time, Forgotten Island reminds us to hold dear and true to what matters most - our relationships and our memories.

#moviereview #movies #dreamworks #animation #cinema taken in AMC Theatres Classic La Mirada 7 by @krikorean_

34

1

21 days ago

“What would have happened... if I wasn’t here?”

Transcending the already morally gray line between reality and fiction, Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime delivers a satirical yet nightmarish portrayal of the vices of reality television. Told in the lens of the renowned and notorious Chris Hansen, the balance of magnetic power yet dangerous ambition clouds both Hansen’s and the audience’s judgment of how we view serious subject matter as entertainment.

At the primetime limelight stands the one-man show belonging to the charismatic powerhouse of Robert Pattinson. Pattinson’s scarily accurate reincarnation of the glory seeking, power hungry Hansen shows both an unquenchable thirst to prove himself as a children’s messiah while tooting his own horn to celebrity stardom. From the quirks of his intonations, body gestures and language, and the overtly serious persona of his program, Pattinson convinces the audience that the real Chris Hansen has a twin brother. Pattinson balances the kooky, explosive energy behind the scenes with the composed aura of his television presence, presenting a meta commentary on how public figures masquerade around their true intentions and behavior when the cameras stop rolling.

Alongside Pattinson’s masterclass performance is a visual odyssey that stimulates the senses of watching a demented and twisted television episode that sours over time. From the glorious potential of fantasizing fame to the tragic cost of recognition through notoriety, Primetime presents a gorgeous juggling act between the television pixels and the grainy Y2K aesthetic. This visual composition invites viewers into a hazy fantasy of chaos and polished production. Contrasting the glamour of entertainment with the brooding sense of dread, Oppenheim’s direction paints Hansen both as an ideal messiah “cleansing the world of an ancient evil” while using an almost “necessary evil” method of achieving his goals.

“At the end of the day,” WE are all held accountable - how can something we detest so vehemently also be the same exact thing that delivers our entertainment?

#moviereview #a24 #robertpattinson #cinema #movies taken in AMC Norwalk 20 by @krikorean_

50

12

24 days ago

Equal parts a historical period piece drama and a medieval espionage action thriller, The Uprising is quite unsure what it wants to be in its runtime.

The initial charm of the film is its appreciative recognition to delve into a “people’s history” genre of historical subject films, a category that lacks scholarship in academia and media literacy. Led by a quietly talented cast ensemble with Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, Thomasin Mackenzie, Katherine Waterston, & Tom Hollander, the talent highlights the dichotomy between the filthy, corrupted rich, and the common everyday man struggling to make an earning. Tackling the universally eternal issue and phrase of “no taxation without representation,” The Uprising shows the ways in which the common man, bounded by their land of living, frustrations to unshackle from their forceful submission, and by a religion hopeful in divine miracles, can create a ripple effect of change and reform in society. Integrating key historical concepts of a theocratic monarchy with principles of sin, faith/salvation, and human will, Greengrass directs the Peasant Revolt of 1381 with care.

However, all of this positive momentum is gradually tarnished by its odd creative decisions in both its camerawork and character development. While seemingly immersing audiences in a promising, linear historical drama, the film is diluted to a headaching conundrum of blundering action set pieces that give so much yet so little. Greengrass’ iconic cinematography with the usage of the shaky cam brings the gritty realism and point of view to convey chaos, but its lack of composition harms the film. The double-edged sword is that while its scatterbrained movement brings the thrill of bloodshed and tragedy, the fast paced nature leaves little room for the audience to process the core themes of class hierarchy, human civil liberties, and faith’s role in society.

Confusing audiences with its headscratching shaky cam style of Paul Greengrass with the fitting bleak color palette of its time period, the film becomes an example where the clash between directorial style and subject matter is a heavy mismatch.

#moviereview #andrewgarfield #movies #cinema #history taken in AMC Norwalk 20 by @krikorean_

32

0

a month ago

The terrifying dread of what lurks around the corner. The bloodcurdling cries of an unknown mystery. A mundane day of barely making ends meet morphs into barely making an ends for your life.

Zach Cregger swings past the video game purists and pretentious policing for faithful adaptation, taking off the yoke of having to adapt the main storyline of the Resident Evil source material into a “spinoff” storyline taking place in the same universe. Cregger realizes his own talent not in adaptation, but to a faithful conviction of his own passionate storytelling, integrating his clever hybrid of horror-comedy to deliver relief and shock factors to the audience.

Austin Abrams was the absolutely perfect choice to take the lead. As a civilian courier delivering organs to patients, a common everyday man leading the charge against these ravenous, virus-infecting monsters seems both comedic and terrifying. Abrams balances the whimpering, grumbling, and relatably cowardly persona of his character with the adrenaline mantra of “desperate times call for desperate measures.” The relatable anxiety of survival with sprinting the scene, fumbling the bullets into the gun, and the accentuating fear of the dark masking an impending, tragic way of potential death becomes a source of horror for the character.

Cregger implements many cinematic shots that fuse filmmaking and video game environments with awe and horror. From the mixture of extreme long shots to the squeamish extreme close ups, the POV shots that mimic the gameplay, and the all too real visual effects of the creatures, Resident Evil services fans in the way the film feels like you are playing the game. Cregger invites us into this dystopian world of sudden death and terror, and utilizes the camera to spin fun tricks and twists. The usage of darkness in the film accentuates the horror, as the characters barely make out the virus infected creatures.

Entertaining, shocking, and finally paving the way to make video games cinematic and faithful to the artist, Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is a triumph.

#moviereview #residentevil #horror #movies #cinema taken in AMC Norwalk 20 by @krikorean_

44

7

a month ago